How to make an effective performance evaluation questionnaire

14 of October, 2022

One of the most important steps in job performance management is the preparation of different questions to introduce in the performance evaluation questionnaire. It does not matter if it is a job survey or a face-to-face performance evaluation interview with the worker: you have to get the questions right. Only in this way will we know the satisfaction and involvement level of employees with the organization, in addition to their capabilities.

Issues prior to performance evaluation

Before starting any performance evaluation, it is essential to clarify some aspects. The first of these are the objectives of the performance evaluation. Thus, once these objectives have been defined, it is possible to proceed with questionnaire preparation. It is essential to keep in mind the importance of asking questions according to the objectives set. They offer us the starting point for the preparation of performance evaluation reports as employees approach or move away from those objectives.

Beyond being aligned with our objectives, questions should help generate a scenario where the evaluated worker is comfortable. It is not uncommon for these types of evaluations to generate uncertainty or even anxiety in workers. Therefore, we will try to use the simplest and most concise language possible. The questions must be carefully worded, so that they cannot generate misunderstandings. With this in mind, you can proceed to write the questions.

How many questions should be included in the questionnaire?

The objective of this questionnaire will be to collect as much information as possible with the least number of questions. The ideal is to include between 40 and 50 questions, a sufficient number to obtain all the information we need. Also, it is not an excessive amount, and the respondents should finish the questionnaire without problems. Of those questions, ideally you should only use two or three open-ended questions. For the rest, we will use a performance evaluation scale that makes it easier for us to manage responses.

Fortunately, we have several performance evaluation scale models, and they can be varied between questions. The simplest scales include scores from 0 to 5 or 0 to 10, but words can also be used, for example “not at all satisfied” to “very satisfied”. There are simpler ones, which force the respondent to opt for one option or another (Yes/No) and other more complex ones where they can position themselves at various levels (categorically yes, yes, no, completely no). A neutral option (always, sometimes, never) can also be added.

As we said, the use of this type of scale facilitates the processing of results. Especially if you use HR software like Sesame HR. By always using the same questions, it is easier to process the answers and prepare a performance evaluation report. It is also a way to see the deviation between evaluators, or to compare the responses of the evaluated workers with those of their superiors or colleagues.

Sample of Job Performance Management Questions

Before starting with the performance evaluation interview itself, you should always offer the room to the interviewee. Workers in this case, have the opportunity to share their opinions or add any information related to the evaluation that may be of interest. After collecting this information, we can move on to the questionnaire itself. These are some examples of questions that you can include, always adapted to the objectives and reality of your company:

• What has been your greatest achievement in the last few months?
• What is your main challenge for next year?
• What changes would you include in the work environment?
• What skills make you more productive at work?
• What skills would you like to improve?
• Is your team working well?
• Do your personal goals match those of the company?
• Do you have the necessary resources/tools/means to do your job?

As you can see, the first three questions are an example of an open response while the last three can be answered using a response scale. The two skills questions can be open-ended, but multiple answers can be offered and the worker selects one or more answers. Before concluding the interview, it is advisable to offer the floor to the evaluated worker again in case he has any questions or wants to clarify any details.

Performance evaluation questionnaire for third parties

Things change slightly when the one who answers the questionnaire is not the evaluated worker, but an evaluator. Again, we can ask about the capacities and soft skills of the evaluated worker. Also for issues such as the quality of their work, teamwork, leadership skills, etc. It is important that all workers are clear about what is considered success and what is failure in each question. If this is not the case, we take the risk that two evaluators offer two radically opposite answers to the same question.

Now that you know how to make an effective performance review questionnaire, all you have to do is put it into practice. Remember that evaluations should be conducted during times of less workload, so that its performance does not affect the productivity of the company. Once all questionnaires have been answered, it is time for human resources to process data with the help of the software and offer feedback to the analyzed workers. Only then can they improve their performance, the ultimate goal of the process.